You know you have longevity when the day they induct you into the Hall of Fame, you can boast covering both the beginning and the end of Robert Mugabe’s dictatorship.

It’s no surprise on the day Mugabe stepped down as Zimbabwe’s president after 37 years, is also on the very day Sun columnist Mark Bonokoski is inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame.

But that’s Bono — as we affectionately refer to him. He’s always in and around the news.

Mark Bonokoski.

On this day, he’s making it. Actually, the pride of Brockville and graduate of Ryerson’s famed journalism program has been around a lot longer than Mugabe, who took power in 1980. After stints in Calgary and Windsor, Bono he came to the Toronto Sun in 1974, where with the exception of a couple of short jumps into politics, he’s been a stalwart of this place for four decades.

“Bono is a terrifyingly gifted writer and storyteller and is utterly deserving of this honour,” James Wallace — who is the vice-president of Sun papers for Postmedia Network — said at the National Club Tuesday evening.

“There’s a wit and wisdom and bite to his prose that, in the finest Sun tradition, comes straight from the heart and frequently knocks you on your ass.”

It’s a good way of putting it. In the proud tradition of Peter Worthington, Bob MacDonald and Lubor Zink, a Bono column is not for the meek and mild.

“He’s a columnist from the old tradition of columnists,” said Toronto Press Club President Ed Patrick. “The truth is, he should have been in the Hall of Fame years ago.”

In fact, just this week, he penned a beauty espousing the views of a British politician who thinks the best way to handle countrymen who go overseas to fight ISIS is to kill them before they come home.

Bono doesn’t mince his words on any subject. The Ryerson journalism graduate doesn’t write for judges for awards, but still has three Dunlop trophies under his belt, as well as a National Newspaper Award nomination.

“He’s one of the guys who made the Sun what it is today,” said former colleague and fellow writer Alan Cairns, who now works in government, but has “always been a huge fan of Mark’s because he’s the real deal who never backed down from anybody and was never afraid of anybody.”

Metaphorically, Bono has always walked the walk in the dangerous part of any town, city or country.

Although he did have stints as editor and publisher of the Ottawa Sun, ultimately Bono’s a street guy through and through. I know a lot of his peers here are very proud of this achievement for Bonokoski because of that fact.

His career has been off the charts.

Toronto Sun columnist Mark Bonokoski stands with his arm around then PC Leader Tim Hudak and says, “NOT ONLY HAS HE HAD A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE HE HAS A TALENT TO COMMUNICATE FAILURE.” (Andy Donato/Toronto Sun)Andy Donato, Toronto Sun

From the tearing down of the Berlin Wall to trying out for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978 to fighting to raise $50,000 to get experimental stem-cell surgeries for disabled Port Perry sisters Erica and Shannon Deering in China, Mark tackles each story like it’s his last.

Gritty, tough, intense, but also big-hearted.

“Mark’s truly been there and done it all, and he’s still going strong,” said Wallace. “He’s a legendary voice and we’re proud to have him in our pages.”

Bono, proud husband to Karen, father to Erin and grandfather to tiny Briar, still writes most days from Ottawa where he covers national and international affairs and keeps the prime minister and opposition leaders on their toes. But, old school, he does it fairly. Right, left or centre is fine with Bonokoski. As long as you are honest and putting regular people first.

He stood up for Staff-Sgt. Eddie Adamson to be named to the wall of fallen police officers after it was determined his suicide stemmed from not being able to go in and try to save Const. Michael Sweet, who was bleeding to death at the hands of the Munro brothers in 1980. He exposed the anti-Semitic and racist hatred of Ernst Zundel while showing Toronto just how easy it is for anybody to buy a handgun on the street because he went (journalistically) out and did it.

No story is too hard for Bono to cover. And no topic is off limits.

Toronto Press and Media Club president Ed Patrick inducts Mark Bonokoski into the Canadian News Hall of Fame at the Toronto Press and Media Club on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. (Craig Robertson/Toronto Sun)Craig Robertson /
Craig RobertsonMark Bonokpski /Toronto Sun

“He’s a tough columnist but always a fair columnist,” said Mayor John Tory, who came by to congratulate him.

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